California Zephyr Trip Journal
The trip started with a WAY too early flight from Sacramento to Las Vegas. It was a nice smooth flight, but not a lot to see because of the cloud cover.
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Flying over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the snow pack is clearly visible. The return trip should be right through the middle of all of that snow.
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Getting closer to Las Vegas, the snow has given way to the desert.
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After a layover and a $2.00 Nevada state tax loss ( was up $1.00 on video poker) it's back into the skies to fly over the fly-over states. Not a lot to see below, but gorgeous blue sky above.
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On approach into Chicago Midway.
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When you don't have a ride, you find a ride. With a similar odor to California Bay Area's BART trains, but louder squealing, Chicago's "L" is a cheap way to get into town. $3.oo from Midway's Orange line to the Red Line's Grand station, with a transfer at Roosevelt.
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![Roosevelt Station. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. [you] must be cautious.<br />
Actually, it wasn't bad at all. Just smelled funny. And had some very interesting characters.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Specific-Places/California-Zephyr-Trip/i-83CRB22/1/cfbcd469/L/2019041621584392-IMG_4342_AuroraHDR2019-edit-L.jpg)
Roosevelt Station. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. [you] must be cautious.
Actually, it wasn't bad at all. Just smelled funny. And had some very interesting characters.
Chicago's finest doing what they do.
LOVE the black tops. Local fire department back home has gone to black tops on a few of their engines. It just looks classy. The fire house that this truck/engine comes from helped with a travelling bunny photo project 13 years ago that I did.2019 04 16California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
Chicago Chinatown. I've never had ramen that wasn't in a Styrofoam cup. As of now I can say differently, and it was good!!!
The "L".
The Sears, I mean Willis Tower.
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The Willis Tower.
I didn't realize Hard Rock Cafe's were still open!
The South staircase in the great hall. Look familiar??
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The old marble stairs were replaced in the 2017 renovation. They kept a few of the old stairs to show how much the marble was worn from use.
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Preservationists had carefully scraped through layers of paint to find the original colors of the Great Hall during the renovations.
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Have you ever seen the 1987 movie, "The Untouchables"?
This is the staircase used in the shootout scene where the stroller bounces down the stairs during the shootout.
Inside the Great Hall of Union Station. The hall was recently renovated in 2017.
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See those 4 blocks up near the top of the Willis (Sears) Tower? That's those Skydeck boxes that you pay $23 to give yourself anxiety, to step out of the 103'rd floor out into the Chicago skyline. Basically a whole lotta Nope.
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Each of the Chicago River bridges has at least one Bridge Tender House. More information about the Chicago River Bridges can be found at:
http://chicagoloopbridges.com/FAQS12.html#ans32019 04 17California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
One of MANY sightseeing tour boats along the Chicago river.
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Adams St. Bridge. One of the many bridges along the Chicago river. In the short time I was outside of Union Station, 3 boat tours went through. The city does a yearly bridge lift calendar to get boats out of inner Chicago to the lake.
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Probably the biggest "You are here" I've ever seen.
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What is that 9 floors down from the top??? No. It Can't be!!!
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Yup! It is. Window Washers!!! A WHOLE lotta nope on that job.
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Chicago River Bridge Tender House on the Adams St. Bridge.
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Is it just me or does the Willis (Sears) Tower look like it's giving you the finger??
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Spring flowers in the middle of the concrete jungle.
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Motorola Building peeking over the top of everything
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The front cannons of the Christopher Wheatley.
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Chicago Fire Department boat Christopher Wheatley, named after a young Chicago firefighter who had died in the line of duty in August 2010.
3 HUGE water cannons on it. 2 in the front, 1 in the back. Would be cool to see them firing water at full strength.2019 04 17California Zephyr TripUmlaut Photographywww.umlautphotography.com
Because when you can get Dunkin, you do.
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If you have a sleeping car reservation, you get to use the Metropolitan Lounge. 2 floors, with the upstairs being the "quiet floor", the lounge offers complimentary beverages and snacks, plug-in power and wifi, restrooms, and showers.
The Metropolitan Lounge beverage station.
As nice as the lounge was, I really enjoyed being out in the Great Hall. There was just more to see, and more to appreciate out there. After going back out for a while longer, they called for the boarding of sleeping car passengers for train #5.
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The Amtrak departure board. Looking for #5.
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Union Station is still under renovation. There are a lot of areas closed for construction, and while lining up to board, you can see the ceiling still isn't finished in the track lobby.
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